68 EVOLUTION A MERE HYPOTHESIS, 



from hypothetical Synamoebia, consisting of a com- 

 munity of homogeneous cells ; these, protozoa from 

 hypothetical single cell animals ; and these, lastly, 

 from hypothetical spontaneously generated cytodes. 



Though this, it must be confessed, is a lame and 

 impotent conclusion, still Haeckel's phylogenetic 

 disquisitions • have one great scientific merit, that, 

 namely, of leading to close and searching inquiries 

 into the natural affinities of animals in succession 

 from the lowest to the highest ; but, as I contend, with- 

 out proving any transition by evolution or lineal 

 descent. In thus rejecting the doctrine of Phylo- 

 genesis, I necessarily, at the same time, ignore 

 the teachings as to the true efficient causes of 

 Ontogenesis, which Haeckel most confidently claims 

 for it. 



We thus see that evolution, from beginning to 

 end, is an unverified and tmverifiable hypothesis. 

 The scheme may, indeed, be entertained, as it has 

 long been, more or less, as suggesting inquiries into 

 the natural affinities of organised beings ; and in 

 this respect I have just eulogised Haeckel's phylo- 

 genetic disquisitions. But when the doctrine is 

 promulgated as a kind of new revelation in Science, 

 and obtruded on us almost as an article of faith in a 

 propagandist and intolerant spirit, we are roused to 

 repel the attempted encroachment. 



Our present advanced knowledge in Natural 

 Science has not rendered the idea of Evolution a 



